This invention relates generally to automatic cassette loading machines for splicing and winding tape and more particularly to such an apparatus having a novel reciprocating spindle arrangement included in the winding mechanism.
Machinery for automatically loading empty cassettes, one at a time, with magnetic tape is well known. An example of this type of machine can be found in U.S. Pat. No. 3,997,123 of James L. King where a magazine is provided for storing a supply of empty cassettes, each of which has a pair of rotatable hubs or spools with leader tape connected therebetween. The magazine feeds cassettes singly to a loading position at which each is held while apparatus withdraws the leader from the cassette and precisely positions it on a splicing block assembly for a severing of the leader into two sections. One leader section is spliced to the leading end of a supply of magnetic tape and then a selected length of the magnetic tape is wound into the cassette by a winding mechanism. A severing mechanism cuts the magnetic tape so as to provide a trailing end of the tape wound into the cassette. This trailing end is spliced to the other leader section of the cassette and then wound into the cassette. Discharge of the loaded cassette from the loading position and feeding another cassette from the magazine to the loading position completes one cycle of the sequential activation of the apparatus automatically to load and discharge cassettes from the machine.
The apparatus described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,997,123 has a pneumatically actuated air turbine fixedly connected to a takeup or wind spindle designed to mate with internal teeth of a cassette spool or hub. The spindle drive, in accordance with said patent, could have an electric motor as a substitute for the air turbine, and, in actual practice all commercially available automatic cassette loading machines now utilize electric motor for driving their takeup spindles. However, the life of an electric motor used to drive a takeup spindle appears to be unacceptably short under actual cassette production line conditions. The useful life of a takeup spindle motor is affected by its constant starting and stopping and the reciprocal movement of the motor required in bringing the takeup spindle into and out of engagement with a cassette in loading position. The competitive nature of the industry indicates that the survival of organizations in the business of making cassette loading machines requires a minimization of down time for repairs and replacement while maintaining a relatively fast cassette loading cycle.
Using a heavier duty takeup motor is not a satisfactory solution since its additional weight necessitates a larger support structure, and greater forces are required to reciprocate the motor toward and away from the cassette loading position. Also, the additional mass of a heavier duty motor may limit the speed with which the motor can be reciprocated. Braking required to overcome the flywheel effect of a heavier motor also becomes more of a problem as is the effect on shaft end play wear caused by the motor reciprocation.